Submit a complaint

What is it?

It may be that certain actions taken by the municipality are detrimental to you. For example, through the actions of an administrative body, a civil servant, or an administrator. You can submit a complaint about this.

Your complaint must concern the working methods or conduct of a department, employee, or administrator of the municipality. Clearly state who you are complaining about and what action or omission has caused your dissatisfaction.

In some cases, your complaint may not need to be addressed. This applies, for example, to complaints about:

• An event that took place more than a year ago;
• A subject you have complained about before;
• A matter that has been brought before the court.

What should I do?

You should preferably submit your complaint to the municipality in writing. Clearly describe what the complaint is about and why you are submitting it.

If you wish to submit your complaint by mail, please address your letter to:

Municipality of West Maas en Waal, attn: Complaints Coordinator
PO Box 1
6658 ZG Beneden-Leeuwen

You can also send an email to info@westmaasenwaal.nl, for the attention of the complaints coordinator, or call 14 0487.

What happens to your complaint?

If you submit a complaint, the municipality will try to resolve it as quickly as possible in consultation with you and in an informal manner. The purpose of the complaints procedure is to ensure that any mistakes made are resolved to your satisfaction as quickly as possible and/or that your dissatisfaction is remedied.

If your complaint cannot be resolved satisfactorily through informal channels, the formal complaints procedure (based on the General Administrative Law Act and the West Maas en Waal Municipality Internal and External Complaints Procedure Regulation) will be initiated. Both you and the person to whom the complaint relates will be heard by the complaints handler (hearing both sides of the argument).

You will then receive a letter with the complaint handler's opinion on your complaint.

How long will it take?

We must handle the complaint within six weeks of its submission. We may extend this period once by four weeks.

Ombudsman

If you disagree with the way we have handled your complaint, you can submit your complaint to the municipal ombudsman. The ombudsman is independent of the municipality.